Dianna Russini resigned from The Athletic on Tuesday after photos surfaced showing her embracing and holding hands with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel at a luxury resort in Arizona.
The Athletic launched an internal investigation into Russini’s coverage and relationship with Vrabel
The outlet began reviewing whether Russini had misrepresented the nature of her meetings with Vrabel during NFL league meetings, according to multiple sources familiar with the probe. Russini had told The Athletic she was in Arizona solely for work-related league sessions, but the photos suggested personal interaction beyond those obligations. The investigation intensified after Russini appealed directly to New York Times CEO Meredith Kopit Levien to defend her position, a move confirmed by five people with knowledge of the conversation.
Vrabel continues coaching the Patriots amid fallout from the photos
Mike Vrabel, the reigning AP NFL Coach of the Year, remains employed by the New England Patriots and is preparing for the upcoming NFL draft, having declined to comment on the situation. The photos, published by the New York Post on Tuesday evening, showed Russini and Vrabel with interlocked fingers and embracing at a Sedona resort, contradicting their public statements that the images did not reflect their interaction. Both Russini and Vrabel are married to other people, adding a layer of personal and professional scrutiny to the episode.
Newsroom tensions rose as The Athletic staff reacted to the initial defense of Russini
Although The Athletic initially issued a public statement supporting Russini, internal backlash grew quickly among employees who questioned the outlet’s handling of the situation. Several staffers from both The Athletic and the broader New York Times organization expressed outrage to ESPN, citing concerns about journalistic integrity and conflicts of interest in covering the NFL. The controversy highlighted the fragility of boundaries between reporters and sources in high-stakes sports journalism.
Why did Russini resign?
Russini resigned amid an internal investigation into whether she had lied to The Athletic about the nature of her meetings with Mike Vrabel and whether her relationship with the Patriots coach compromised her NFL coverage.
Is Vrabel facing any disciplinary action?
Vrabel has not faced any known disciplinary action from the Patriots or the NFL. he continues to coach the team and prepare for the draft without public comment on the matter.
